Shake responsive handheld device

ABSTRACT

A shake responsive handheld device is provided. The shake responsive handheld device comprises a vibration switch. The vibration switch changes its state between an electrically open state and an electrically closed state during a shaking of the housing. The handheld device also includes a storage unit and a processor. The storage unit stores plurality of first type media files and a table. The first type media files are configured for reproducing sounds of tumbling dice in a dice shaker and the table is configured for defining a plurality of shaking levels, each of which corresponds to one of the first type media files. The processor, in response to signals from the vibration switch, is capable of monitoring the shaking level of the shaking of the housing, determining one of the first type media files corresponding to the shaking level according to the table, and playing the one of the first type media files until the shaking level changes.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is one of the related co-pending U.S. patent applications as listed. Such cases have the same assignee as the current application and have been concurrently filed. The disclosures of the applications listed in Table 1 are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TABLE 1 Attorney Docket No. Title Inventors US19428 SHAKE RESPONSIVE Chuan-Hong Wang HANDHELD DEVICE Hsiao-Chung Chou Li-Zhang Huang Chia-Yu Cheng Jui-Lin Ke US19429 SHAKE RESPONSIVE Chuan-Hong Wang HANDHELD DEVICE Hsiao-Chung Chou Li-Zhang Huang Xiao-Guang Li

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to shake responsive handheld devices and, more particularly, to a shake responsive handheld device for simulating the shaking of dice.

2. Description of Related Art

Many portable computing devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, and portable media players, enable users to play games of chance, for example, games that require a user to roll simulated dice and make moves based upon the outcome of the dice roll. One common dice game for Motorola and Nokia mobile phones is “Jacado Dice”, a game in which users place bets and press a button to toss the simulated dice.

In general, such dice games are played by rolling the dice for the user automatically or based upon a simple button press, which differs significantly from the experience of physically rolling dice. In the real world, there is a causal relationship between physically tossing dice and observing the outcome that has made dice games so popular over the centuries. Therefore, there is a need to provide a handheld device that can be shaken to simulate dice rolling in the real world.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a handheld device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a relationship table in accordance with an exemplary embodiment that is stored in a storage unit of the handheld device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is an assembled, cross-sectional view of the vibration switch of FIG. 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an assembled, cross-sectional view of the vibration switch of FIG. 1., taken from the line II-II in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an assembled, cross-sectional view of the vibration switch of FIG. 1 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a handheld device 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The handheld device 100 includes a storage unit 200, a vibration switch 300, a motion state determining unit 400, a media file determining unit 500, a processing unit 600, a decoding unit 700, and an output unit 800.

The storage unit 200 can be any appropriate storage medium, such as a read-only memory or a random-access memory, and stores a plurality of shaking media files. The shaking media files are used for reproducing sounds of tumbling dice in a dice shaker, which are different from each other in sound volume, sound frequency etc. When needed, different types of shaking media files may be created for reproducing different types of sounds. For example, such sounds may include rolling dice in a wooden dice shaker, a metallic dice shaker, etc.

The storage unit 200 also stores a fade-out media file. The fade-out media file is configured for reproducing a sound effect of tumbling dice that roll inertially and gradually come to a stop from a dice shaker onto a surface after the shaking of the dice shaker has ceased.

The storage unit 200 further stores a relationship table and a simulation program. The table defines a plurality of shake levels which indicate different shaking strengths of the shaking motion imparted to the handheld device 100. Specifically, the more strongly the handheld device 100 is shaken, the higher the shake level is. Each of the shake levels corresponds to one shaking media file or the fade-out media file. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, shake level zero corresponds to the fade-out media file.

The simulation program is used for providing a moving graphical representation of tumbling dice on the surface and generating a random game result. The relationship table also defines the relationship between the shake levels and the number of times of state changing of the vibration switch 300, which will be better understood from the following description.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in one embodiment, the vibration switch 300 comprises a housing 310, a side cap 320, a coil spring 330, a first contact terminal 340, a second contact terminal 350, and a metal sheet 360.

A chamber 311 is formed in the housing 310. The side cap 320 is attached to the opening end of the housing 310 to cover the chamber 311. The coil spring 330 is received in the chamber 311 in a cantilevered way, that is, one end the coil spring 330 is attached to the side cap 320 and is electrically coupled to the first contact terminal 340, while the other end of the coil spring 330 is floated.

The metal sheet 360 is positioned on the inner surface of the chamber 311 and electrically coupled to the second contact terminal 350. Specifically, the metal sheet 360 is configured in such a way that the coil spring 330 is capable of deflecting and contacting the metal sheet 360 when being shaken in a predetermined direction.

When the housing 310 is shaken in a direction approximately perpendicular to the metal sheet 360, the coil spring 330 deflects and the floating end of the coil spring is capable of coming into contact with the metal sheet 360, which makes the vibration switch 300 change from an electrically open state to an electrically closed state. Thus, during the shaking of the housing 310, the vibration switch 300 keeps changing its state between the electrically closed state and the electrically open state. After the shaking of the housing 310 has ceased, the coil spring 330 recovers its original shape and position and the vibration switch 300 returns to the electrically open state.

Referring to FIG. 5, in another embodiment, the vibration switch 300 a includes a housing 310 a, two side caps 320 a, a movable member 330 a, and two contact terminals 340 a. A chamber 311 a is formed in the housing 310 a. The two side caps 320 a are attached to two ends of the housing 310 a respectively to cover the chamber 311 a, and are electrically coupled to the two contact terminals 340 a, respectively.

The movable member 330 a comprises an inertial weight 331 a and two coil springs 332 a. The coil springs 332 a are attached to two ends of the inertial weight 331 a respectively and are in contact with the two side caps 320 a. When the housing 310 a is shaken in a longitudinal direction, the inertial weight 331 a moves in the chamber 311 a and one of the two coil springs 332 a is capable of being out of contact with one of the two side caps 320 a, making the vibration switch 300 a change from an electrically open state to an electrically closed state.

The motion state determining unit 400 detects signals from the vibration switch 300 per unit time period, such that the number of times of state changing of the vibration switch 300 in a predetermined time period is monitored and counted. The shake levels of the shaking of the handheld device 100 can be then determined according to the relationship table. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when the shaking of the handheld device 100 ceases, the number of times of state changing of the vibrations switch 300 is zero and the shake level is determined to be zero.

The media file determining unit 500 is used for determining a media file according to the shake level determined by the motion sate determining unit 400 and the relationship table. Typically, when the shaking of the handheld device 100 does not cease, the media files determining unit 500 determines one of the shaking media files, which corresponds to the shake level, according to the table. When the shaking of the handheld device 100 ceases, the shake level is determined to be zero shake level and the media files determining unit 500 determines that the corresponding media file is the fade-out media file. The processing unit 600 controls the handheld device 100 to play the media files determined by the media files determining unit 500. The media file corresponding to the shake level continues playing until the shake level changes.

Therefore, during shaking the handheld device 100, a user can shake the handheld device 100 with different shaking strengths to obtain different sound effects generated according to different shaking media files corresponding to the varying shake levels. Furthermore, once the shaking motion has ceased, the user can obtain the sound effect of the fade-out media file. In other words, the handheld device 100 is capable of providing the user with a realistic feel of physically shaking and rolling dice.

During the playing of the shaking media files and the fade-out media file, the simulation program is activated to provide users with a moving graphical representation of rolling dice and generate a game result randomly after the fade-out media file finishes playing. The graphical representation of rolling dice and the game result can be output to the users by the output unit 800.

While various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be constructed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A shaking responsive handheld device comprising: a vibration switch changing its state between an electrically open state and an electrically closed state during a shaking of the handheld device; a storage unit storing a plurality of first type media files and a table, wherein the first type media files are configured for reproducing sounds of tumbling dice in a dice shaker and the table is configured for defining a relationship between a plurality of shaking levels of the shaking of the handheld device and the plurality of first type media files; and a processor, wherein the processor, in response to signals from the vibration switch, is capable of monitoring the shaking level of the shaking of the handheld device, determining one of the first type media files corresponding to the shaking level according to the table, and playing the one of the first type media files until the shaking level changes.
 2. The shaking responsive handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration switch comprises a coil spring, a first contact terminal, and a second contact terminal, the coil spring is electrically coupled to the first contact terminal and is capable of deflecting and contacting the second contact terminal during the shaking of the handheld device.
 3. The shaking responsive handheld device according to claim 2, wherein the coil spring deflects when the handheld device is shaken in a predetermined direction.
 4. The shaking responsive handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the shaking level is determined by detecting the number of times of state changing of the vibration switch per unit time period.
 5. The shaking responsive handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration switch comprises a chamber, a movable member with two spring ends, and two contact terminals, the moveable member is received in the chamber, the two spring ends contact with the first contact terminal and the second contact terminal respectively, at least one of the spring ends is capable of disengaging one of the two contact terminals during the shaking of the handheld device.
 6. The shaking responsive handheld device according to claim 5, wherein the movable member comprises an inertial weight and two coil springs, the two coil springs are attached to two ends of the inertial weight respectively.
 7. The shaking responsive handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit further stores a second type media file for reproducing a sound effect of tumbling dice that roll inertially in a dice shaker after the dice shaker has stopped shaking, when having determined that the shaking of the handheld device ceases, the processor plays the second type media file.
 8. The shaking responsive handheld device according to claim 7, wherein the storage unit further stores a simulation program for generating a game result after the second type media file finishes playing. 